Shelf construction



Jan. 2,- 1962 A. D. FOSTER 3,015,400

SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ALLAND. FOSTER ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1 962 A. D. FOSTER 3,015,400

SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i F1 El IN VENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1962 A. D. FOSTER 3,015,400

SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 as I INVENTOR.

ALLAN D. FOSTER BY mm w ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1962 A. D. FOSTER SHELFCONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 14, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

ALLAN D. FOSTER ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1962 A. D. FOSTER SHELF CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 1959 INVENTOR.

ALLAN D. FOSTER wwam ATTORNEYS United rates Patent 3,915, ifi9 HELFCGNSTRUCTIQN Allan D. Foster, Grosse Pointe, Mich, assignor to Almer-Corporation, Detroit, Mich. Filed Oct. 14, 13959, Ser. No. 346,391 3Claims. (Cl. 211-183) This invention relates to a shelf construction andmore particularly to a shelf construction which may be used for thedisplay of merchandise in stores and the like and which may be assembledeither as a wall unit or as an island unit.

Two types of shelf constructions are commonly used in stores and thelike for displaying merchandise, namely, the wall type of shelf and theisland type. Prior to this invention, these two types of units wereseparately made out of separate types of parts which could not be usedinterchangeably.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to form a shelf unit out of anumber of standard parts which unit may be assembled either as a wallunit or as an island type of unit and whose parts are so formed thatthey lock together Without the need of any screws, bolts or nuts orspecial adapters and without the need for any tools other than the handof the man assembling the unit.

Another object of this invention is to form a shelf unit of a minimumnumber of parts, each part being easily handled by one man, which partsmay be ettsily assembled in a installation time, and which unit can beadjustable in a variety of ways to fit almost all types of displays andwhich is rigid and strong.

A further object is to form such a shelf construction of a number ofinterconnected parts wherein all joints between parts are concealed toprevent tampering therewith, to enhance a pearance of the unit, and toavoid protrusions which interfere with the merchandise display and alsoto form a unit which can be easily adapted for use with special types ofshelving, display baskets and display racks without modifying the basicsupport structure of the unit but simply by adding the special parts allwithout the use of tools or special connectors.

Further, it is an object to form a unit which is so constructed that anumber of units can be added together end to end to form an even largershelf of interconnected individual units and wherein each individualunit can be separately adjusted as to shelf height, types of shelvingsused, racks or baskets, etc.

An additional object is to form a shelf construction out of a pair ofcolumn members each formed of a pair of identical parts which arefrictionally locked together and which parts are simple, inexpensive tomake, assemble and use, and which parts are adapted to receive thevarious shelves and brackets without the use of tools.

Another object is to form a base assembly for the shelf constructionwhich base is arranged to lock into the columns and be held in placesimply by pin means and which base is rigid, strong, and is formed toreceive the bottom shelf of the um't with the columns being formed toreceive back panels and upper shelves.

These and other objects and advmtages of this invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description, of which the attacheddrawings form a part.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf unit formed as an island.

FIG. 2 is an end View of one support column.

PEG. 3 is a perspective view of the two halves forming a support column.

FIG. 4 is a view 'of the base and a bottom shelf taken in the directionof arrows 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the base taken in the direction ofarrows 5-5 of FIG. 4.

3,015,400 Patented Jan. 2, 1962 ire i ii 6 is an enlarged view taken inthe direction of arrows 5-6 of FIG. 5.

1G. 7 shows in partial cross-section, the attachment of a shelf bracketto the support column.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the back panels in crosssection.

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of a base member and molding. 1

In FIG. 1, an island shelf unit 10 is illustrated. It is formed of sidevertical columns 11 and base members 12 which bases are interconnectedby base front or kick panels 13. A bottom shelf 14 and top shelves 15are secured to the shelf unit and back panels 16 and top back p:.nel 16aare provided to interconnect the side columns.

The unit may be assembled as an island as illustrated in FIG. 1, or oneside of the unit, that is, the base and shelves on one side, can beeliminated, so that the unit can be used as a wall unit.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each side column is formed of a pair ofidentical halves 29, each of which are formeo of elongated, thin,narrow, rigid strips of sheet metal whose side edges 21 are bent to forma U-shape and are further bent to form channels 22 that open towards thebase of the U.

Each half is also bent so as to provide a channel 23, having aconstricted mouth or opening, which extends the length of the strip.And, each half is provided with a tongue 24 bent therefrom, the tonguehaving an enlarged head 25 which is arranged to fit into the channel 23.As shown in FIG. 3, the two halves are assembled by sliding one halfdownwardly relative to the other so that the enlarged heads 25 of thetongues fit into the respective channels. 7

Each of the tongues are of sufiicient length so as to form walls thatinterconnect the two strips and thus provide a structure which incross-section (see FIG. 2), is in the shape of a center rectangle and apair of side channels which open outwardly of the column. Each of theside walls or tongues 24 are slotted with a row of equally spaced apartslots 26 extending the length of the respective tongues. When the twohalves are assembled the slots in one tongue are horizontally alignedwith the slots in the other tongue.

Each of the vertical columns is supported in its upright position bymeans of either one or two base members 12 (depending upon whether theunit is to be assembled as an island unit or a wall unit). The basemembers are each formed out of vertically arranged plates 30 which areslit along their top edges to form-tabs 31. These tabs are alternatelybent to one side of the plate and then up to thus form a channel 32between the alternately bent tabs.

One end of the plate is arranged to be secured to the support column bymeans of a U-shaped bent support member 33 which may be welded orotherwise secured to the end of the plate and which is provided with aplurality of vertically axised loops 34 arranged to enter into the slots26 of the column wall. The loops are held in place, after fittingthrough the slots, by means of pins- The pins are arranged in pairs,each pair being secured to a base plate 37 so that the two pins may beused as a unit. A leveling bolt 38 is threadedly engaged through athreaded opening formed in the plate 37 for leveling the unit. Also, asecond leveling bolt 39 is threadedly engaged with a socket, formed inthe plate 30, by striking out loops 4t alternately to one side and thenthe opposite side of the plate and internally threading the loops so asto received the bolt 39. Hence, the unit may be leveled simply byadjusting the bolts 38 and 39.

with flanges 35 that engage against the side flanges 21 I) of thecolumns so as to locate the plate 30 relative to the column and preventit from wobbling or moving relative to the column. 1

The free ends of each of the bases are provided with struckout bumps 44on the opposite sides of the plate and a base edge molding 45, having acenter channel 46, is arranged to slip over the end of the plate withits center channel receiving the struck out bumps 44. The molding isalso provided with side channels 47 bent therefrom. The two bases areinterconnected as shown in FIG. 4 by means of a front kick panel 13whose opposite side edges are formed into channel-like bends 49 arrangedto fit into the channels 47 of the trim molding and to be frictionallyheld therein. Thus, the base is rigidified at the forward end thereof.

The bottom shelf 14 is provided with side depending flanges 55 (seeFIGS. 4 and 6) which fit into the channels 32 of two of the basemembers. In addition, a side cover plate 56, also provided with adepending flange 57, is arranged with its depending flange in the samechannel 32 as is the flange of the shelf. This cover plate 56 covers theside of the unit and strengthens and rigidifies its further.

The back panels 16 may be formed identically to each other and each maybe formed of a single sheet of metal or the like having a continuousupper trough 58 and a lower trough 59 formed on each panel with thetroughs being arranged so that one fits Within the other to support onepanel above the other (see PEG. 8). The top edge of the top panel 16amay be bent to form a cover 6t) to cover the space formed by the backpanels on each side of the support columns.

The back panels are secured to the support columns by means of sideflanges 62 which are bent to fit into the channels 22 of the columns sothat the panels may he slid vertically downward into place one at atime. Thus, the back panels interconnect the columns to rigidify thecolumns and rigidify the unit as a whole and also to provide a backingwhich enhances the appearance of the unit. The lower of the back panelsis arranged to rest on top of the flange 35 (see FIG.

Once the unit is assembled, end caps 65 may be provided to cover theexposed faces of the support columns (see FIG. 4). These end caps haveside edges 66 bent to slidably fit into the channels 22 on the exposedface of the columns. Each of 'these caps may be formed of a singleelongated strip which thus functions as a cover.

However, where the individual unit is to be assembeld as part of anumber of units connected together, instead of the end cap 65, anadditional set of back panels. 16 and 16a can be inserted in thechannels and another support column is added and thus the unit can beextended column by column and back panel by back panel until a number ofunits are secured together. Thus, each column acts as a support for twoadjacent units that are interconnected by that one single column. Inthat case, the side cover 56 would be omitted and the bottom shelf 14 ofthe next unit would be dropped into channel 32 in its place.

In this manner, there is a great deal of flexibility of using either oneor more units together and it can be seen that the units areindividually assembled out of a minimum number of partswithout the needof any tools whatsoever and without the need of any mechanical fastenerssuch as screws or bolts or nuts or the like.

In order to secure the upper shelves 15 to the unit, each shelf isprovided with a pair of side support brackets 70 which have elongatedarms 71 fitted beneath the shelf surface to support the end of the shelfand connection portions 72 which are provided with a plurality of hookformations that fit into adjacent slots of one support column and locktherein (see FIG. 7).

The shelves 15 can be replaced with baskets or racks or special shapedshelves simply by removing them and slipping the ends of the replacementover its brackets 70 and then securing the brackets to the supportcolumns. Hence, there is a great deal of flexibility as to the type ofshelving used and moreover, each shelf can be individually adjusted towhatever height is desired. Also, the connection between the bracketsand the columns and between the bases and the columns are all concealedfrom view and from touch so that they cannot be tampered with by anyunauthorized person.

This invention may be further developed Within the scope of thefollowing attached claims. Accordingly, it is desired that the foregoingdescription be read as being merely illustrative of an operativeembodiment of this invention and not in a strictly limiting sense.

I now claim:

1. A support column formed of two identical interlocked halves, eachhalf comprising an elongated, flat, rigid strip of rectangular shapedsheet metal having elongated side edges, each strip having an integralgroove bent out of one face of the strip and opening at the plane of theother face thereof, the groove extending the full length of the stripparallel to the side edges of the strip and being open at its ends andwith the mouth of the groove being constricted relative to the Width ofthe groove, the groove being located near one side edge at a linelocated approximately one-third the distance from that one side edgetowards the other side edge; each strip also having an integral tongueformed of a double fold bent outwardly of the said other face of thesheet with the two folds forming a seam at the sheet and with the twofolds being fiat and in face to face contact from the sheet to a pointnear the free end of the tongue formed therefrom, and at the free end,the folds being integrally joined and being spread apart to form anenlarged end shaped to correspond to the shape of said groove r'ortightly fitting Within and filling the groove of the other strip, saidtongue extending the full length of the strip and being perpendicular tothe flat strip and extending outwardly of the strip a distancesubstantially less than the width of the strip and being located nearsaid other side edge but spaced therefrom a distance equal to thespacing of the mouth of the groove from said one side edge; the twohalves being in-' verted relative to each other and being interlocked,with the enlarged head of the tongue of each frictionally and snuglyfitted into the groove of the other to form an assembled column with thetwo tongues forming transverse walls and the two strips being closelyspaced apart and with the two tongues and the strip portions betweenthem forming a rectangular in cross-section column center portion andwith each tongue and the strip portion located between their adjacentside edges and the respective tongue each forming side edge channelsopening outwardly at the side edges of the strips, and the tongues eachbeing provided with uniformly spaced apart slots along their entirelength.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, and wherein each of the sideedges of the strips is provided with an integral flange arrangedperpendicular to the strips, with the flanges on each strip extendingoutwardly away from the opposite strip; the ends of each of said flangesbeing bent inwardly, towards the flange of the opposite side edge of thesame strip and towards its respective strip, to form channels, whichchannels each open towards its respective strip so that the stripsoverlay the mouth of their respective channels.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1 and including a base supportingthe column in a vertical position, said base comprising an elongated,narrow, flat, thin, rigid plate arranged in a vertical plane andextending horizontally away from the bottom of the column and having avertical inner edge; means on said vertical edge for interlocking theplate to the column, said means comprising a U-shaped channel striparranged vertically with the legs thereof forming the U-shape, at thebase of the channel strip, being flat and spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the spacing between the column strips and beingsnugly fitted into one of the column side edge channels in face to facecontact with both column strips, the base of the channel strip beingregularly notched to form a plurality of loops, each fitted through oneof the column tongue slots, said column tongue slots each extending thefull transverse distance between the column strips for receiving theloop, and pin means fitted into the rectangular central portion of thecolumn and through the loops and engaging the tongue through which theloops are inserted for locking the loops to said tongue, said channelstrip receiving said vertical edge of the plate and being permanentlysecured to the plate, thereby interlocking the plate to the column.

4. A base for supporting a vertical column having a vertically extendingedge channel whose base is slotted at regular intervals with the slotstransversely extending the full distance between the legs of thechannel, said base comprising a vertically arranged, thin, horizontallyelongated, narrow plate formed of rigid sheet metal and having avertical edge, a vertically arranged edge channel strip having a baseportion, including the base of the channel strip and the portion of thelegs adjacent to it, of a width for snugly fitting within the columnedge channel and being regularly notched to form a plurality of loopsarranged for fitting through the corresponding slots in the columnchannel base, and pin means for vertically fitting through the loops andengaging the column channel base to prevent withdrawal of the loops fromthe slots, the channel strip receiving the full length of the platevertical edge and being constricted at its mouth for engaging both facesof the plate and being permanently secured to the plate, whereby theplate may be secured to the bottom of a column and support the column.

5. A construction is defined in claim 4 and including integral flangesformed on the free vertical edges of the channel strip legs, the fiangesbeing substantially perpendicular to the legs and extending outwardlyaway from each other for engaging the edges of the column adjacent thecolumn channel.

6. A construction as defined in claim 4 and wherein said pin means isprovided with a head arranged at the bottom edge of the plate forsupporting the plate upon a floor, and a vertically axised, downwardlyopening threaded socket formed in the plate near the edge of the platewhich is opposite to said vertical edge, said socket being formed of aplurality of vertically alined semicircles alternately stuck-out of theopposite faces of the plate from the bottom edge of the plate towardsits top edge, the semi-circles together forming the socket, and a headedbolt threaded into the socket with its head arranged beneath the bottomedge of the plate for adjustably supporting the plate upon a floor.

7. A support column comprising two identical halves, the halves beinginverted relative to each other and each half being a narrow, elongated,flat, rigid strip formed of thin, rigid, sheet metal, and with the twohalves being aligned and being parallel to each other but spaced apart ashort distance; and with part of each strip being bent into a channelwhich extends the length of the strips, the channel on one strip openingtoward the opposite strip; and with part of each strip being bent into atongue extending normal to the strips and extending the length of thestrip parallel to the channel of that strip; the free ends of eachtongue being for-med to slidably fit into and be frictionally retainedwithin the channel of the opposite strip, with the tongues forming Wallsextending between the strips, the respective tongues and grooves eachbeing spaced from the long edges of the strips to thus form oppositelyopening, unobstructed side channels, each formed of a wall and the partsof the two strips between the wall and one corresponding edge of thestrips, each of said tongues being provided with a row of equally spacedapart slots along its entire length, with the slots on one tongue eachbeing aligned with the corresponding 1 slots on the other tongue.

8. A support column formed of two identical interlocked halves, eachhalf comprising an elongated, fiat, rigid strip of rectangular shapedsheet metal having elongated side edges, each strip having an integralgroove bent out of one face of the strip and opening at the plane of theother face thereof, the groove extending the full length of the stripparallel to the side edges of the strip and being open at its ends andwith the mouth of the groove being constricted relative to the width ofthe groove, the groove being located near one side edge at a linelocated approximately one-third the distance from that one side edgetowards the other side edge; each strip also having an integral tongueformed of a double fold ent outwardly of the said other face of thesheet with the two folds forming a seam at the sheet and with the twofolds being fiat and in face to face contact from the sheet to a pointnear the free end of the tongue formed therefrom, and at the free end,the folds being integrally joined and being spread apart to form anenlarged end shaped to correspond to the shape of said groove fortightly fitting within and filling the groove of the other strip, saidtongue extending the full length of the strip and being perpendicular tothe fiat strip and extending outwardly of the strip a distancesubstantially less than the Width of the strip and being located nearsaid other side edge but spaced therefrom a distance equal to thespacing of the mouth of the groove from said one side edge; the twohalves being inverted relative to each other and being interlocked, withthe enlarged head of the tongue of each frictionally and snugly fittedintothe groove of the other to form an assembled column with the twotongues forming transverse walls and the two strips being closely spacedapart and with the two tongues and the strip portions between themforming a rectangular in cross-section column center portion and witheach tongue and the strip portions located between their adjacent sideedges and the respective tongue each forming side edge channels openingoutwardly at the side edges of the strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,192,838 Abel Aug. 1, 1916 2,356,309 Garbe Aug. 22, 1944 2,643,170Vanderveld June 23, 1953 2,691,502 Jones Oct. 12, 1954 2,693,884 GurriesNov. 9, 1954 2,845,187 Bianchi July 29, 1958 2,940,604 Bolton June 14,1960

